He’d loved this woman once. Not only had John told him so, but Cain had felt it in his dreams. Did she still love him? Or had the year that they’d been apart widened the gap between them too far to bring them back together? Looking at her now, knowing that she wasn’t merely a figment of his imagination, he had no doubt that he could fall in love with her all over again.

13

“Cain,” Faye murmured so quietly that he probably didn’t even hear her.

Like a mirage he stood there in the entrance hall, several of the guards around him, three strangers by his side. But she had no eyes for anybody but Cain.

He was alive.

She couldn’t believe her eyes and blinked, but when she opened them again, he was still there, still standing in the entrance hall of the palace as if he’d never left. His scent drifted to her, confirming that he wasn’t simply a lookalike, but the real thing: Cain, her king and her lover.

His greeting echoed in her mind again. Faye, it’s good to see you.

The words seemed so distant, so unreal. As if they weren’t his. As if he were greeting a stranger and not the woman he loved.

What had happened to him?

So many questions invaded her mind, making her dizzy. She didn’t know what to do first, what to ask first, what to say, how to react. All she wanted was to throw herself into his arms and feel his heart beat against hers. Feel his lips kissing her and assuring her that everything would be all right now.

Her feet carried her down the stairs, bringing her closer to the man she’d grieved for and shed tears for every day since he’d gone. A few more steps and she’d be with him again.

“Isn’t it wonderful, Faye? My brother is alive!” Abel’s voice suddenly penetrated her haze.

Faye froze, her feet refusing to take another step.

Oh God! She’d accepted Abel’s proposal not twenty-four hours earlier. Despair slammed into her. Why hadn’t she waited just another day? What would she do now? Her eyes drifted from Cain to Abel. Had Abel already told his brother that his fiancée was now promised to him? Was this why Cain was making no attempt to take her into his arms and kiss her?

Her heart raced, her pulse beating into her throat, robbing her of the ability to speak. She wanted to turn back time, to make everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours undone. Tears welled up in her eyes. They should be tears of joy, but instead they were tears of regret. Regret of having given up hope too soon. How could she ever forgive herself for that?

“Cain,” Faye whispered again.

She was certain he’d heard her now. His eyes met hers, but she couldn’t read them, couldn’t see the love he’d professed so long ago. Had he stopped loving her?

“What happened?” she heard herself ask.

“I was kidnapped and held captive,” Cain responded, having misunderstood the true meaning of her question.

She didn’t correct him, knowing that this was not the time or place to talk to him about their relationship. Not in front of Abel who was watching them like a hawk.

“We thought you were dead,” she said instead. “We grieved for you.” She purposefully didn’t say I. She couldn’t, knowing she would break down if she revealed the depth of her despair.

“I’m back now.” He motioned to the three strangers. “These three men helped me escape. Meet Thomas, Haven, and Wesley.” His words were as businesslike as if he were talking to a stranger.

Only now did she take in the strange scent emanating from the man he’d introduced as Wesley. She leaned closer. He looked entirely human, but she knew he wasn’t. He was a preternatural creature.

“Wesley is a witch, but he’s not our enemy,” Cain said, having anticipated her question.

She accepted his words silently and nodded.

Cain turned away from her and addressed Abel instead. “My men and I would like to get situated. I need accommodations for them.”

“Of course,” Abel agreed readily. “I suggest the guest suites up on the third floor. They are—”

“Not the guest suites,” Cain interrupted, his voice icy. “The rooms of the king’s personal guards next to my suite.”

“But they’re occupied by your guards,” Abel protested.

Cain pointed to Haven, Thomas, and Wesley. “These are my personal guards now. They’ll be by my side, protecting me.”

Faye noticed how Abel’s mouth set into a thin line, displeased that Cain wasn’t agreeing with his suggestion. “As you wish. I’ll make sure the guards vacate the rooms immediately.”